I know this idea may sound crazy as we’ve been putting our lives on pause for the last 2 years, but before you scroll down, hear me out. Regardless of the reality we are living, pandemic or not, the benefits around disconnecting are huge and I am sure you all have heard about those buzz words such as JOMO (short for the Joy of Missing Out), slow life and the like. Why is it that even if we’ve slowed down our pace of life in the last year or so, we still feel exhausted? The reason is simple. We spend TONS of time on our phones, looking at a screen, scrolling down for interesting content (or mindlessly scrolling as a habit). Staying on top of all our social media is EXHAUSTING and it takes away from the real deal, which is to simply be present in the moment.
A fun way to disconnect, unplug and enjoy the slow life is to do so while vacationing somewhere out of the ordinary and Europe is full of those charming, jaw-dropping, can’t believe my eyes kind of places. Over the past four years, my family and I have developed a taste for these types of vacations and we’ve reaped many benefits. Let me share five tips I put into practice to ensure unplugging on vacation is a success.
Search for places owned by like-minded folks so that the experience is all-inclusive. Those places will usually combine beautiful, minimalist aesthetics with minimal to no electronic devices available (I.e., no television).
Look for places preferably without any electricity or with limited access to outlets (so, yes! Camping is the perfect way to disconnect and unplug).
Purposefully look for places with poor internet coverage or no wifi.
To ensure minimal use to no use of your electronic devices, leave them home OR if that’s too bold for you, put them on airplane mode or turn them off completely - that way, you won’t be tempted as much to look at what’s happening in the world.
To maximize your time in between explorations and adventures, make sure to bring along something to read, pen & paper to scribble down any thoughts, cards and board games to play as a family. Don’t forget to bring your old school camera to snap some candid shots (and work on your photography skills while you’re at it 😉).
I’m by no means an expert at disconnecting, but when we set our minds to it, it usually turns out to be our BEST vacation with lots of fond memories. By being present, taking the time to enjoy life and embracing the JOMO lifestyle, you’ll end up in a better state of mind and more in tune with your partner and your children. Try it, I promise you won’t be disappointed.